Technical Bulletin On the side: Prenatal Screening: First Trimester & Second Trimester Screening
First Trimester Screening between 10-13 weeks gestation: – FTS for fetal abnormalities includes a combination of serum (blood) tests, age, and ultrasound measurements (Nuchal Translucency Screening (NTS) which is now considered as a standard screening test. Combinations of ultrasound and biochemical screening tests have higher detection rates than either test used alone.
Second trimester screen is done between 15-18 weeks of gestation and risk assessment performed incorporating maternal age and using a certified software.
The combined first trimester maternal screening with second trimester maternal serum testing is also known as step-wise sequential screening.
PRENATAL SCREEN: FIRST TRIMESTER SCREEN & SEQUENTIAL SECOND TRIMESTER TEST
“First trimester screening for fetal aneuploidy is now the standard of care for pregnant women residing in the United States and other developed nations and gradually being implemented in developing nations. Screening includes both biochemical and ultrasonographic parameters.”(New England Journal of Medicine, Volume 349, Number 15, October 2003, �First-Trimester Screening for Trisomies 21 and 18, http://www.americanpregnancy.org/prenataltesting/firstscreen.html.)
The First Trimester Screen is a new, optional noninvasive evaluation that combines a maternal blood screening test with an ultrasound evaluation of the fetus to identify risk for specific chromosomal abnormalities, including Down Syndrome Trisomy-21 and Trisomy-18.
The first trimester screen has been available for several years, and has been determined to be an effective means of early chromosomal abnormality screening.
The First Trimester Screen is performed between the 11th and 13th week of pregnancy. Because the test is performed so early, it is often used to determine whether a mother should consider undergoing an early (first trimester) diagnostic test, such as chorionic villus sampling, or second trimester amniocentesis.
In babies who are at an increased risk for chromosomal abnormalities, increased fluid is often found in the nuchal translucency. Abnormally high or low hCG and PAPP-A levels are also often found. The first trimester screen combines the results from these three measurements (nuchal translucency, hCG, and PAPP-A) with maternal age risk factors and determines an overall risk factor for chromosomal abnormalities.
The First Trimester Screen is a screening test and not a diagnostic test. This test only notes that a mother is at risk of carrying a baby with a genetic disorder.
Abnormal test results warrant additional testing for making a diagnosis. These tests are CVS or amniocentesis.
Materni T21 test is a certified Non-Invasive Prenatal Test For Trisomy 21, 18,13, test which has Enhanced Sequencing capabilities to detect Trisomy’s and additional Micro deletion’s.
“The MaterniT21Plus laboratory-developed test is a non-invasive blood test to detect the chromosomal abnormalities. The MaterniT21Plus test can detects an increase amount of chromosomal 21,18 and 13 materials as well as detection of Microdeletions in a pregnant women blood as early as 10 weeks.”
“MaterniT21 Plus test is developed and validated by Sequenom Center for Molecular Medicine® (Sequenom CMM), a CAP accredited and CLIA-certified molecular diagnostics laboratory based in San Diego, USA.”
Brought to you at India by: Synapse Diagnostics Pvt Ltd
“Advancing Excellence in Health Care Testing”
Disclaimer: The Maternal T21 test does not provide a Gender report.